Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s favourite stock doubled wealth in the last 1 year; he still wants more

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s favourite scrip has nearly doubled investor wealth in the last one year, taking his overall stake in the Titan Company to over Rs 7,000 crore.

As at the end of the latest quarter, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala holds 8.06% in the company or 7,51,08,220 shares, data filed with BSE showed.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s favourite scrip has nearly doubled investor wealth in the last one year, taking his overall stake in the Titan Company to over Rs 7,000 crore. As at the end of the latest quarter, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala holds 8.06% in the company or 7,51,08,220 shares, data filed with BSE showed. Translated at current market prices of Rs 942, the stake amounts to Rs 7,075 crore. In a recent interview to ET Now, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala had revealed that Titan is his favourite scrip.

In the latest quarter, Titan has reported a 70.86 per cent jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 304.41 crore as against Rs 178.16 crore in the same period previous quarter. In the earnings call of the company, the ace investor questioned Titan’s management on a host of issues from the company bonus and gratuity payout and also the company’s investment plans. “Is the bonus that you provide one-time? The gratuity to employees is one-time, I understand. Where is the dividend in respective businesses?” Rakesh Jhunjhunwala questioned.

Titan’s management clarified that while the bonus is not part of the CTC (Cost To Company). “It is not part of the CTC. When we perform way above our own internal plans, this is something which is shared with the employees. From that perspective, it is a one-time for the quarter. It does not get amortised over the years. It is given at the end of the year,” said the management.

Jhunjhunwala next questioned the company about its provisions for impairment for a Rs 75 crore investments it had made in Favre Leuba. Responding to the question Managing Director Bhaskar Bhat said that Titan doesn’t expect to write off any further. “We have just been conservative in our accounting,” he added. Further, Bhat said that the company would continue to invest for five years.

Sharing the investment plans, Titan’s management said that it will be to the tune of Rs 200 crore. “When we see the business model working, only then shall we take a decision to make larger investments,” Bhat said. Further, out of the total planned investment, the company has already invested Rs 145 crore. It will invest another Rs 55 crore and then take a decision whether to invest further or not.